Acupressure is recognized as an old oriental therapy and healing method which originated in Asia a long time ago. It uses the same or similar principles as acupuncture, but does not use needles for the treatment. Acupressure typically utilizes the technique pressing acupressure points on the human body, such as the feet, hands, and face, etc.
According to the oriental medical principles, the feet and hands of the human body include corresponding points or regions that are connected to all important organs of the body, and typical oriental acupressure techniques (or reflexology techniques) address effective methods on how to apply a suitable amount of pressure on specific points on the body parts to promote human health or prevent diseases, based on the knowledge that applying pressure on such pressure points for a certain duration helps the circulation of the energy and blood flow in the human body and corresponding organs thereof.
FIG. 9 illustrates a foot reflexology chart showing acupressure points or acupressure regions in the feet, along with indications of related body organs and/or symptoms to be treated or relieved by applying physical pressures thereon.
Based on the reflexology techniques, acupressure therapists often press such acupressure points in the feet of their patients using tools (such as wooden sticks) and fingertips, for example, using the distal tip areas of their thumbs, index and middle fingers. However, such acupressure treatments require specialized acupressure and reflexology skills and techniques by the specialists thereof. They also need regular, repetitive, and time and efforts consuming works to achieve their intended objectives of the acupressure treatments.
As one example of such acupressure devices, an acupressure mat is known in the art, which has a plurality of upward projections arranged on the mat in regular pattern, for example, by arranging the projections aligned in multiple rows and columns. The acupressure mat is often put on the floor in front of a kitchen sink to provide acupressure stimulations on the feet of the users doing the kitchen work while standing on the mat. Another known acupressure device is a pair of sandals or slippers with a plurality of upward projections arranged on the upper sole surface in regular pattern to provide acupressure effects on the wearer. These acupressure devices may provide beneficial massage effects to a certain degree. However, it may be difficult to obtain noticeable therapeutic results to the users as the optimal acupressure points for the particular persons cannot effectively be pressed or stimulated due to the limitations by the regularly arranged pattern of the projections since the pattern does not match or correspond to the specific acupressure points of the feet.